1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a background-sound control apparatus, a background-sound control method, and a readable recording medium containing a background-sound control program is recorded, which control background sounds created corresponding to variations of events to be displayed in display means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, a system for displaying variation of an event, for example, in a video game, has been known. In this system, generally, background sounds created corresponding to images to be displayed on display means are outputted through a speaker so as to improve effectiveness of the images displayed on the display means. For example, in a video game, background sounds produced corresponding to game images are outputted through a speaker so as to improve the simulation realism of the game. Generally, these background sounds are composed using multiple channels, and various quasisounds defined for the individual channels are combined into composite sounds and outputted through the speaker.
In the conventional system described above, however, the number of channels for composing the background sound cannot be infinitely increased because it relates to the number of output ports, control load, and the like in a CPU, which is control means. Generally, the number of channels is predetermined, and the background sound is composed using quasisounds of the predetermined number of channels; therefore, effectiveness of the background sound must be improved within the restricted number of the channels.
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a background-sound control apparatus, a background-sound control method, a readable recording medium containing a background-sound control program, and a video game apparatus which allow effectiveness of the background sound to be improved within the predetermined number of channels.
To achieve the above, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a background-sound control apparatus that has display means for displaying variations of events, the events displayed in the display means varying according to operations performed on operating means; sound-generating means for generating background sounds; background-sound-data storing means containing background-sound data including data of sound levels corresponding to the event; output control means for outputting the background-sound data to the sound-generating means to generate the background sound; and sound-level control means for varying output ratios of the sound levels of the background sound corresponding to variations of the events.
According to this configuration, the event variations are displayed on the display means, background-sound data is outputted to the sound-generating means, and the background sound is generated therein. At this time, since the output ratios of the sound levels of the background sound are varied corresponding to the variation of the event, effectiveness of the background sound can be improved without increasing the number of channels for the background sound.
According to this configuration in which the event variations are displayed on the display means, the background-sound data corresponding to the events are concurrently outputted to the sound-generating means, resulting in generation of the background sound. In this, since output ratios of sound levels of the background sound vary corresponding to the event variations, effectiveness of the background sound can be improved without increasing the number of channels for the background sound.
Also, in the background-sound control apparatus as described above, the events displayed in the display means may vary according to operations performed on operating means.
According to this arrangement, since the output ratios of the levels of the background sound vary according to the variation in the operations performed on the operating means, effectiveness of the background sound corresponding to the operation can be improved.
Also, in the above-described background-sound control apparatus, the background-sound data may be composed of multiple channels, and the sound-level control means may vary the output ratios for the individual channels.
According to this configuration in which the output ratios are varied for the individual channels, effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved without increasing the number of channels for the background sound.
Also, in the above-described background-sound control apparatus, the display means may display images of various types, and the sound-level control means may vary the output ratios according to variations of display images.
According to this configuration in which the output ratios are varied according to the variations of the display images, effectiveness such as the background sound varying according to the variations of the display images can be obtained, by which effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved without increasing the number of channels for the background sound.
Also, in the above-described background-sound control apparatus, the sound-level control means may vary the output ratios as time passes.
According to this configuration in which the output ratios are varied as time passes, for example, the output ratios are gradually varied, by which the background sound provides effectiveness to notify a game player of the passing time, and effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved.
Also, the above-described background-sound control apparatus may have start-instruction means for outputting a predetermined start signal, in which the sound-level control means inverts highness/lowness of the output ratios of a predetermined number of channels and other channels among the plurality of channels as time passes from a moment when the start signal is outputted.
According to this configuration, in which highness/lowness of the output ratios of a predetermined number of channels and other channels among the plurality of channels is inverted as time passes from a moment when the start signal is outputted, the background sound provides effectiveness to notify the game player of the passing time, and effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved.
Also, in the above-described background-sound control apparatus, the sound-level control means may maintain the output ratios of the predetermined number of channels at a first level and maintain the output ratios of the other channels at a second level which is higher than the first level until the start signal is outputted.
According to this arrangement in which, until the start signal is outputted, the output ratios of the predetermined number of channels are maintained at a first level, for example, at 0%, and the output ratios of the other channels are maintained at a second level, for example, at 100%, which is higher than the first level. This provides effectiveness such as the background sound pieces being increased by a predetermined number of the channels within the predetermined multiple channels. Therefore, effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved.
Also, the background-sound control apparatus may further have function-storing means containing a first function representing a value increasing sharply from 0% as time passes and a second function representing a value decreasing gradually from 100% as time passes, in which the sound-level control means increases the output ratios of the predetermined number of channels according to the first function and decreases the output ratios of the other channels according to the second function.
According to this configuration, the output ratios of the predetermined number of channels increase sharply, for example, from 0% as time passes; the output ratios of the other channels decrease gradually from, for example, from 100% as time passes. This allows switching of the background sound to be clearly perceived by the ear.
Also, the above-described background-sound control apparatus may further have code-detecting means, switching instruction means, and switching control means, in which the background-sound-data storing means stores multiple pieces of background-sound data having partitioning codes in predetermined partitioning positions; the code-detecting means detects the partitioning codes of background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means; the switching instruction means outputs an instruction signal which causes switching from background-sound data to be outputted to the sound-generating means to the other background-sound data; and the switching control means switches from the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means to other background-sound data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal.
According to this configuration, in which the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other background-sound data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal, unnatural changes which may be felt when the boundary of switching of the background sound is perceived by the ear can be prevented.
Also, in the above-described background-sound control apparatus, the background-sound data may include music data, and the partitioning code may be provided at the end position of a phrase of the music data.
According to this configuration in which switching is performed when the phrase of the background-sound data finishes, unnatural changes, which may be felt when the boundary of switching of the background sound is perceived by the ear, can be prevented.
Also, in the above-described background-sound control apparatus, other background-sound data may include sound data of the predetermined number of channels of the background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means.
According to this configuration, in which the other background-sound data includes sound data of the predetermined number of channels of background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means, the sound of the predetermined number of channels continues even after the background-sound data is switched. This makes it further difficult to perceive the switching boundary of the background-sound data by the ear.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a background-sound control method, in which the output ratio of the sound levels of the background-sound data varies according to the event variations when the background-sound data including the sound levels stored in the background-sound-data storing means corresponding to variations of events to be displayed on the display means is outputted to the sound-generating means for generating background sounds.
According to this configuration, in which the event variations are displayed on the display means, and concurrently, the background-sound data corresponding to the events is outputted and generated as the background sound, the output ratios of the sound levels of the background sound vary corresponding to the event variations, and effectiveness of the background sound can be improved without increasing the number of channels for the background sound.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a readable recording medium containing a background-sound control program having a varying step of varying output ratios of sound levels of background-sound data corresponding to variations of events displayed on the display means when outputting the background-sound data including data of sound levels which is stored in background-sound-data storing means for generating background sounds.
When a computer reads the program in the readable recording medium and executes it, the event variations are displayed on the display means, the background-sound data corresponding to the events is outputted to the sound-generating means, and the background sound is generated. In this, according to the arrangement in which the output ratios of the sound levels vary corresponding to the event variations, effectiveness of the background-sound data can be improved without increasing the number of channels for the background sound.
Also, according to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video game apparatus that has the background-sound control apparatus as described above, program-storing means containing a game program, externally-operable operating means, and display control means for controlling images displayed on the display means according to the game programs.
According to this configuration, images of various types are displayed on the display means according to the game program, the background-sound data corresponding to the images is outputted, and the background sound is generated. In this case, according to the arrangement in which the output ratios of the levels of the background sound vary corresponding to display control performed by the display control means, effectiveness of the background sound can be improved, and the simulation effects of the game images can also be improved.
The present invention provides advantages as summarized below.
According to the background-sound control apparatus, the background-sound control method, and the readable recording medium, when background-sound data corresponding to events is outputted to sound-generating means and background sounds are generated, variations of events are displayed on display means, and output ratios of sound levels of the background sound are varied corresponding to the event variations, by which effectiveness of the background sound can be improved without increasing the number of channel for the background sound.
Also, the background-sound control apparatus provides the following advantages:
(1) The output ratios are varied for the individual channels, and effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved without increasing the number of channels.
(2) Since output ratios are varied according to variations of display images, effectiveness such as that the background sound varies according to the variations of the display images can be obtained, by which effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved without increasing the number of channels for the background sound.
(3) Since the output ratios are varied as time passes, effectiveness to allow the passing time to be known can be obtained, by which effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved.
(4) Highness/lowness of the output ratios of a predetermined number of channels and other channels is inverted as time passes from a moment when the start signal is outputted, by which effectiveness of notifying of the passing time can be obtained, and effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved.
(5) Since the output ratios of the predetermined number of channels are maintained at a first level, and the output ratios of the other channels are maintained at a second level which is higher than the first level until the start signal is outputted, effectiveness such as that the background sound pieces are increased by a predetermined number of the channels within predetermined multiple channels can be obtained, by which effectiveness of the background sound can be further improved.
(6) The output ratios of the predetermined number of channels are increased sharply from 0% as time passes, and the output ratios of the other channels are reduced gradually from 100% as time passes, by which switching of the background sound can be clearly perceived by the ear.
(7) The background-sound data being outputted to the sound-generating means is switched to the other background-sound data in synchronization with detection of the partitioning code to be detected following output of the instruction signal, by which switching is performed at predetermined partitioned positions so as to prevent unnatural changes which may be felt when the boundary of switching is clearly perceived by the ear.
(8) A partitioning code is provided at the end position of a phrase of the music data, by which switching is performed at a moment when the phrase of the background-sound data finishes. Therefore, unnatural changes, which may be felt when the boundary of switching is clearly perceived by the ear, can be prevented.
(9) The other background-sound data includes sound data of the predetermined number of channels of the background-sound data being outputted to sound-generating means. By this, the sound of the predetermined number of channels continues even after the background-sound data is switched, making it further difficult to perceive the switching boundary of the background-sound data by the ear, thereby allowing the background-sound data to be switched more smoothly.
Also, according to the video game apparatus, images of various types are displayed on display means according to a game program; and when the background-sound data corresponding to the images is outputted, and the background sound is generated, the output ratios of the levels of the background sound are varied corresponding to display control by display control means. By this, effectiveness of the background sound can be improved, and simulation effects of the game images can be improved.
Also, according to the background-sound control apparatus, events displayed in display means vary according to operations performed on operating means, by which the levels of the background sound vary according to the variation in the operations performed on the operating means; therefore, effectiveness of the background sound corresponding to the operation can be improved.